Gray Photos
by aluvme
Summary: The sequel to black and white is finally out! Haru is in college now, studying to become a writer. Everything seems normal until surprise visitors come into his life and makes it into a complete mess! Will things work out for him?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Gray Photos  
**Pairing:** HaruxHana (One-sided HaruxRin)  
**Rating:** T  
**A****uthor: **Aluvme  
**Notes: **Haru and Hana and everyone else have grown after the past few years. So, their personalities and how they look, you can't expect it to be the same. That's how I get to manipulate them! XD So don't say that they are out of character, because as time changes, people change as well. The curse has broken, Haru and Hana are college students, and um, Akito has gotten somewhat nicer. Fruits Basket is not mine, it's _Natsuki Takaya's._.this will go for all the chapters! And the song lyric at the bottom belongs to _Frankie J- How to deal._

Hey, it's been a while hasn't it? Yes, yes, I'm sorry that I didn't update it sooner, but I felt December 1st was the best because it's the start of a new month. And I guess you'll have to think of it as an early christmas gift. This is also a congratulations gift to Ms. Hiwatari who finishes grade ten today and -misunderstood-tomboy- who needs the sequel desperately. Thank you for supporting me, and yes, I read my reviews. So keep reviewing and I'll keep writing! And really, thanks for staying with black and white. Here's the sequel!

**Chapter 1**

_And for some unknown reason, a tear rolled down her cheek._

'Ah! Finished!' Haru weaved his fingers together, raised his arms upward, and stretched. He nodded satisfactorily at the cracking sounds that resonated from his fingers, wrists, elbows, and shoulders. He rotated his neck around, thoroughly relishing the feeling. Then he pushed up the bridge of his black-rimmed glasses with his middle finger and sat back in his chair, staring at the laptop screen. While sipping a bit of his steaming hot macchiato, he scrolled through the pages of his finished novel. He quickly pressed down on the CTRL+S buttons, saving the last chapter of his writing project. 

Haru smoothed down his black hair while gazing out at the cafe window. It was his last year of college and at age 22, he should have had some sort of income. Rather, he received small donations from Shigure, one of the few Sohmas he had kept in contact with. Ever since the curse had broken, Haru had moved to a different part of Japan, dyed his hair black to symbolize change, and concentrated on studying.

For the past 4 years, he labored through barbaric grammar and English classes. Haru ignored the science, math, and history classes that were offered, and only studied English. Journalism, creative writing, and other academy classes were his only picks. Inspired by Shigure, he wrote short romance stories which were published in small newspapers from time to time. Those were small stepping stones for him to reach his ultimate goal- becoming a writer.

Haru sipped at his coffee and loosened the scarf around his neck. His hands smoothed out the diamond patterned sweater he was modeling and his eyes flickered lazily from the coffee cup to the window. The background chatter made his eyes grow heavy. He shut his eyes, only to be disturbed by the beeping of his cell phone. He groaned and picked up the electronic device.

'Meet me at the fountain.'

The phone and the laptop were stuffed into Haru's sling bag and the coffee was abandoned. He shuffled on through the streets, soon arriving at the park. He took his time, trudging up the snow-covered hill, stopping at the fountain. A girl with a peach-colored trench coat and black boots sat there, staring at the water. He came close enough to see the puffs of air that spouted from her mouth and he covered her delicate eyes with his hands.

"Guess who?" He whispered into her ear. Rin's hands clasped Haru's and pulled them down. "Aw, you're no fun." He whined. She gave him a tight embrace, giggling.

"So what have you been so busy with this week? What could possibly be more important than your girlfriend?" A look of pride appeared on Haru's face and he pulled out his laptop, turning it on. He pulled up his novel and handed the laptop to her. Rin winced at the number of pages in front of her but began to read. She flew through the pages, finishing in record time. "So this is what you've been doing?"

He nodded. "What do you think?"

"It's okay…I don't think it was worth ditching me though." She looked over at Haru. He had grown into a fine writer and a fine boyfriend as well. His hair was a raven black; the white had ceased to exist. One look at his eyes, and you would witness mixtures of emotions like: sorrow, love, hate, and loneliness.

Haru took her hand and began rubbing it gently with his thumb, interrupting her thoughts. She found herself drawn into his dark grey orbs, unable to speak. "Rin…?"

"Huh?"

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah, what did you say?"

"I asked if you thought the book was okay…And I tried to get you to change your opinion from its okay to something better, but you kinda zoned out on me."

"Oh, well, um, it was really good."

"That's better." He brought her close and kissed her. When they broke apart, the cold stung their lips, making them miss the contact. Haru rubbed his hands together, trying to generate some heat and clasped Rin's. She smiled at him, enjoying the warmth. Simultaneously, they looked out at the park, admiring the designs. Snow men and snow angels decorated the area and there wasn't a soul in sight. "Hey Rin, remember when we were kids?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Remember that time where you got lost in the Sohma Estate because you couldn't find your way out through the snow? And remember how I helped you out of there, but the exit was about four feet away?" He flashed a toothy grin at her.

"Actually, the way I remember it was, you got lost. And the exit was two feet away. I had to help you because you were crying like crazy. You couldn't recognize the backyard because of the snow." Haru's cocky grin faded into a pout. He crossed his arms and turned to the side.

After a few moments ticked by, Rin tapped his shoulder. "Haru, are you upset?" He ignored her and glared at a girl who happened to be passing by at that moment.

'Oh, great. Now someone's disturbing our peac-' He stopped and shook his head. 'What the-?' The person he had bore his eyes into looked very familiar. Intrigued, he kept staring after her, trying to get a better look at her features. The face was slightly darker, but it resembled someone he knew in the past. 'Who, who is she...?' He furrowed his brows in deep thought, his brain fumbling through his labyrinth of memories to find the answer. Haru's eyes widened at the one word that registered itself in his mind. He stood up abruptly to leave, but was pulled back by a surprisingly strong tug on his jacket.

"Haru?" Rin looked up at him, confused.

He glanced back at her and pried her fingers off his jacket. "I'll be right back."

He left her to sit there, puzzled, and sprinted to where the mystery girl had been headed. His eyes scanned the park for her, frantically looking right and left. There were footprints left behind and he followed them like a dog would follow an animal's scent. He found her walking quite a ways ahead of him and took off in full pursuit.

The winter wind nipped at his nose, causing him to sneeze violently three times in a row and fail to look where he was going. His foot slipped on a patch of ice that appeared to have magically formed there at that instant, and he fell. His rear end landed with a thump and he felt pain knife through his whole body.

'Shit!' He regained his composure but realized that he lost the girl. Placing his hands on both sides of him, he pushed himself up, squinting because of the pain. He propped himself next to a tree and laughed at his foolishness. 'That probably wasn't Hana. There's no way she'd be here. I'm on the other side of Japan.' He inched out of the park, regretting his rash decision to leave Rin.

After resting for a bit, he felt somewhat rejuvenated and limped to a nearby bench. He kicked at the black pavement, sighing miserably. 'I still miss her. After all these years. Damn it, I still can't forget her. Her laugh, her tears, and her smile.' He wistfully watched some leaves whistle by, thinking of the old tattered photo he kept in his wallet. His cell phone rang, breaking him out of his trance.

"H-hello?"

"Haru where are you? You left without a reason."

He sighed. "Rin, I'm on my way back." His thoughts slowed his movements down, making the trip back seem like eternity.

_Nobody said that it would hurt so bad. So how do I live... how do I deal without you?_


	2. Chapter 2

Kyaaaaaaaaaaa! Gomen-nasai!! I know I should have updated but with writer's block, an essay, and Christmas, I wasn't in the mood..SorrY but hopefully my stories will be updated more next year. I promise another chapter sometime in January though because I know how it feels to wait for someone to update.

Chapter 2

The first time Hatsuharu Sohma had opened his eyes, he was surprised to see an empty classroom. He nonchalantly placed his head back down, falling asleep within an instant.

The second time he awoke, he heard the professor babbling about a transfer student. Haru peeked open an eye to see who the new student was. His mouth couldn't have ended up any wider. Haru vigirously rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the side of his index finger-- he had to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. Haru glanced at the new student again, in disbelief. In front of him was Saki Hanajima. His old girlfriend. The girl that would haunt him everywhere he went, and the very girl he wished never see again.

"Hanajima, you can go sit next to Sohma over there, to your right." Hana timidly approached the weary Sohma, taking care not to disturb him. When the teacher was satisfied that his new student was situated he turned his back to the class and resumed writing on the black board. The rest of class went on quietly, Hana trying not to eye the hunk sitting next to her, and Haru trying not to stare at girl next to him. In fact, the two were not even concentrating on the lesson.

'Will she remember me? No, even Kana couldn't remember Hatori. He does his job too well. Is there a way to undo it?' Haru glanced at Hana through his peripheral vision. He eyed her up and down, noticing that her curly hair was now straightened, and her clothing color was brighter and more vibrant.

The sound of the bell signaling break was the only thing that jolted Haru out of his thoughts. While gathering his things, he was deciding whether he should talk to her or just leave her be. His arm involuntarily reached out and grabbed Hana's arm, turning her towards him. She gave him a questioning look, and he in turn did as well. Shocked at his action, he tried to speak.

"Uh, uh…" Haru cleared his throat. "Do you want a tour of the school?"

Hana blinked and smiled, her eyes sparkling slightly. "If it's not too much trouble would you?" Her reply was a push towards the door. The pair walked out of the classroom and faced the empty hallway, for lunch was in session.

"Surprisingly, we have an hour long break so I can give you a tour of half the school in 30 minutes. Then I'll take you to the lunch room where I'll introduce you to the gang."

"Alright."

"Okay, so first, this is the teacher's lounge. The only reason a student would go there would be because they have an affair with a teacher." He laughed at Hana's blank face. "I'm not serious. Anyway, to your left, out the window, is the courtyard. There are six benches for the jocks, preps, nerds, and the sluts. The other two are for normal people like you and me. Upstairs you'll find the dorms and downstairs are a whole bunch of other classrooms."

They walked through each corridor of the school, steps resounding throughout the hallway. "Kya! I forgot to mention. Don't go into the third gymnasium no matter what okay?"

Hana tiled her head to the side. "Why not?"

The black-haired boy shook his head. "You'll murder your virgin eyes." He guided Hana out of the area and into the boisterous lunch room. "See over there?" He pointed to the far-left. "That's where I normally sit. Let's buy lunch first." They practically glided through the lunch line, cutting in front of one of Haru's acquaintances.

"Haru! Where were you all this time?" A dirty-blond stood up and waved excitedly.

"Giving the new kid a tour." Haru cleared the table and gave Hana his usual seat.

Yuu, the blond, grasped Hana's hand. "Heya cutie. Nice ta meet ya."

Hana blushed at the sudden contact and looked down, unable to look at the overconfident boy. 'He's ... weird.'

"Hana, your sexual harasser is Yuu. To the left of him are Mina, Janett, Daisuke, and Katsuya. To your right is Selina and Joshua, but don't mess with them. They're too busy talking to each other to notice anyone else. And to my right, Kaoru and Hideki. The others are scattered around the school. I'll introduce you if I see them."

Haru watched her eyes flutter, while trying to comprehend all the information. The way her eyelids gracefully slid up and down was soothing. A blush crept its way onto Haru's face. He watched her converse with Mina and Yuu, concentrating on her lips. Her smile would light up her whole face- just like it did in the past. She was beautiful.

"Haru? Your cell phones ringing…"

"Huh? Oh right!" Sure enough, the blaring Mario theme song could be heard emanating from his black razr. He opened it to see a little envelope signaling a text message.

_It's Rin._

_What have you been doing lately?_

_You really need to take better care of your girlfriend._

'Oh shit. I forgot about Rin.' He sighed deeply and shut his eyes in frustration. 'Why can't I ever have it my way? I just met Hana and I have a girlfriend. G-O-D! #$&'

A soft hand rested on his shoulder. "Haru? Are you okay?" He peeked open an eye to see Hana's face merely centimeters away from his.

"Whoah!" He tipped backwards on his chair at the shock, only to be saved from the fall by Yuu.

"Haru, you are so clumsyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" Yuu whined in a voice that reminded him of Momiji.

'Wonder how the kid's doing…'

"Hana-chan, can I see your schedule?" Haru turned to see Yuu talking to Hana.

'Hana-chan!?!?!' He felt a vein pop out in his head. 'He has no right to call her that!'

"Sure." She smiled and handed the blond a white sheet of paper. He scanned over it, face growing brighter by the second.

"We have two classes together! Gym and math." Haru's mouth jutted out in a pout. He felt his eyebrows slide downwards. Yuu was making a move on his- no he had no right to be mad. Hana wasn't his girlfriend any more.

As if on cue, the bell rang and Yuu dragged Hana off towards the gym. Haru rubbed his temples. 'I hope Hana's going to be okay. Yuu is moves fast and he doesn't stop in a relationship… just keeps going all the way.'


	3. Chapter 3

I'm so sad.. There are so many tests. But I did get a digital camera! So that makes me happy. WARNING! You may not want to read this chapter due to content…If you are sensitive about … even the slightest sexual content I warn that you should just skip all the way to the bottom! No there is no lemon but still…. Just skip to the bottom if you're really, really, really sensitive. I have to say this is the longest chapter I've ever written I think. Review and enjoy.

Chapter 3

"So you'll meet me in front of the lobby right?"

"Yes. And then we'll go study at the library."

"Mhm. Okay, see you there after school."

That had been the plan, but Hana had been waiting at the lobby for over thirty minutes. She sat down on the plastic bench and placed her things next to her. Was he busy? She hoped that was the reason for his tardiness. Hana gazed down at the ground, counting the numerous dots on the tiles to pass the time. '20, 21, 22, 23, a pair of feet?' She looked up to see the owner of the converses, hoping it was Haru. 'Oh, it's Yuu.'

"Hey, you don't look that happy to see me…" Yuu moped, his face growing solemn.

Hana cringed in apology. "S-sorry, I was waiting for Haru but he hasn't showed up."

"Oh, he told me to tell you he changed his mind and wanted to meet you in the third gymnasium."

"What?"

"Yeah, he was running late but he sent me to tell you to wait for him there." Yuu shrugged.

Hana blinked several times while the wheels in her head started clicking. 'Haru said something about the third gym… What was it?'

"C'mon, let's go." Hana reluctantly stood up and was dragged down the long hallway to the gym.

"A-are you sure that he said he'd be here? I really need help on my English." She felt uneasy, the look that Yuu was giving her wasn't at all helping. Something seemed off about the current situation.

'No, he won't be here; I've made _sure_ of that. I asked Mina to hold on to him while I have a little fun. I also told all the other kids to stay out of here.' "Yeah, he'll be here." He tugged her gently by the hand into the gym and locked the door behind them.

Hana gasped as she felt two arms grasp her waist tightly. "Y-yuu?" She felt his breath on her neck.

"Hana, you don't know how long I've waited."

"W-waited? What do you mean?" She tried to look back at her captor, eyes wide with shock and fear.

"I love you."

"L-love me?!?!? We've only known each other for four weeks. What are you doing? Kyaaa!" She squealed as she felt Yuu lick her ear. "P-please!"

* * *

"Mina, I have to get going. Hana's been waiting for me for a long time already!" Haru looked at his watch, frantically looking from Mina to the watch again.

"Haru, she's probably already left." Mina grabbed onto his arm and looked up at his face. "I still need you to explain this problem."

"Sorry, but I have to get going, right now." He shook her off and started walking towards the lobby. Mina nervously followed behind him, trying to think of a plan.

'Yuu told me to keep him occupied and make sure he doesn't go to the gym…'

Haru glanced around the empty lobby anxiously. On the bench were Hana's things, but their owner was no where in sight. "Mina, do you have any idea where she is?"

"N-no, I told you, she must have left."

He glared at her, making her flinch. "Then why is her stuff left here?" Mina looked away, kicking at the floor with her heel. Haru pressed her to the wall and looked her straight in her wide gray eyes. "Where is she? I know you know."

Mina blushed from the closeness and bit her lip. The intensity of Haru's stare caused a chill to run down her spine. "I-I don't k-know."

"God-dammit Mina! Tell me!" He pounded his fist into the wall, right next to her face- missing it by a few centimeters.

Mina's eyes widened further at the fist that was dangerously close to her. "H-haru." She breathed. "Yuu took Hana to the gym."

"What!? Are you crazy? How could you…" He gave her a look of pure disgust and ran down the hallway. Mina felt her legs give way and she fell to the floor.

'Haru, I'm sorry. But, Yuu made me.'

* * *

Yuu expertly began to slip Hana's sweater off of her. She squirmed but he held her down on the ground firmly. He clearly had the experience and strength needed. 

Haru felt himself panting from how quickly he was running. He had to make it in time. Who knew how far Yuu had gone?

Hana shut her eyes as her sweater was thrown out somewhere in the dark room. She grimaced as she looked at Yuu. He brought his face close to hers. "Don't worry, it won't hurt." She felt her shirt go off as well. He straddled her and looked down at her half-exposed form. She was so stunning- the darkness did not hide her radiant beauty.

While trying to catch his breath, Haru found himself right in front of the gyms. 'Which gym is it? They wouldn't be in the third gym would they?' He opened the door to the first gym.

Yuu began to assault her neck, sucking and nipping. His touch was burning her, tainting her skin with every passing second. Hana gritted her teeth and furrowed her brow. Would she make it through? How did she fall for something as stupid as this anyway? Was Haru waiting for her? Haru. What would he think? Yuu slipped lower and lower, one arm holding both of Hana's up and the other reaching to undo her pants.

Haru flipped on the lights and flicked them off again dismayed. She wasn't there. He quickly moved on to the second gym, not wasting any time.

She felt the tears pool and run down the sides of her face. She didn't want to be taken here. Not by him. Yuu kissed her roughly, pulling her pants down at the same time. She turned her face away and cried out, screaming out for help. Her cries were silence by Yuu's forceful lips.

Haru didn't even touch the second gym's door. He immediately ran to the third, recognizing Hana's voice. He tugged at the knob, desperately trying to get in. The door was locked and immovable. 'Shit not at a time like this!' He rammed against it and kicked at it, tumbling forwards as the door gave way. The light from the hallway shone into the gym. "Hana!" He yelled and ran towards her.

Yuu turned in time to see Haru's fist ram into his nose. He felt himself being lifted by the collar and thrown harshly onto the floor. "You bastard!" Haru relentlessly began knocking the daylights out of the blonde, the sight of blood not enough to compensate for Yuu's sin. Once Yuu blacked out, Haru left his limp body and checked up on Hana. She was shivering and was helplessly trying to cover herself.

"Here." He passed her his trench coat that he was wearing and wrapped her up in it. She weakly tried to stand but her legs gave way and she collapsed into his arms. Her tears kept flowing like an endless river. Haru sighed and picked her up bridal style. Despite her protests, he took her to his car and let her in.

"I'll be right back so stay here." She looked at him, panicked. "Don't worry, I'll be right back."

He locked the car door and speed walked back to the school. He entered the lobby and picked up Hana's bag- forgetting about her clothes back in the gym. He dashed to the car and saw Hana asleep. When he started the engine he couldn't help but keep looking at her. She had streaks across her face, proof that she was almost raped.

He took her to his condo, not knowing where she lived. Careful not to disturb her, Haru picked her up once more and entered the building. Thank God his home was on the first floor. He didn't turn on his lights but he found his way into his room easily. Gently placing her down, he felt a nosebleed coming. His trench coat was hardly covering her. He shut his eyes and tucked her under the bed.

'I hope she isn't too traumatized.' He left the room as quietly as he could and tiptoed to the phone. He looked up a number he thought he would never call again- Hatori's.

The annoying sound of the call being connected seemed to take ages before Haru heard a familiar voice say "Hello?"

"H-hatori?"

"Yes this is Hatori Sohma speaking. May I help you?"

"This is Haru."

A brief silence followed before Hatori answered. "Haru, it's been a while. I trust you've been making the right decisions and staying out of trouble?"

"Yeah. Um, I know this may sound weird, but do you remember Saki Hanajima?"

Hatori's breath hitched for a moment. "H-hana? The girl whose memories I…?" The line went quiet for a while. "What about her?" Hatori suddenly asked.

"She's here." He breathed. "She, she transferred to my school. I need to know something. Can you undo your memory erase?"

Hatori immediately responded with a no. "I can't." 'It would be troublesome for her and everyone else.'

"Oh, okay."

"You'll just have to make new memories with her. Even if I could make her remember, her memory would come back like foggy pictures. There would be some things missing. It would take time, who knows how long, till she remembered everything."

Haru eagerly pressed the phone to his ear. "So you can do it! Otherwise you wouldn't know these things."

"Haru, I can't."

"B-but!"

"I can't. You'll make everything complicated for Hana and yourself and the others around you. Good night." Hatori hung up, leaving Haru fuming. He almost slammed the phone to the ground but he remembered Hana was sleeping in the room over. So, he saw fit to punch the wall instead.

'Why? Why won't he do it? Forget it. I don't need his help. Rin, I'm sorry but right now, I actually have a chance to get back what I lost years ago. I'm not losing this chance.'

"Haru?"

Haru turned, surprised at the sudden voice that called him. He rubbed his eyes, unable to believe the sight in front of him. Hana was wearing one of his long shirts he left out for her; it barely reached her knees much less her thighs.

"Hana… umm." He felt the blood spurt from his nose as he was overcome with perverted thoughts. 'Don't girls wear guys' shirts after they've had…'

"I wanted to say thank you for saving me today." She touched his shoulder with her shaking hand. Apparently the day's events had impacted her pretty badly.

Haru clutched at his nose. "Oh, yeah. No problem." His voice came out squeaky and breathless.

"Haru? You okay?" She turned his body so he was facing her. She glanced at him. "Oh! You're bleeding." She ran to the kitchen to get a napkin, unknowingly adding more blood to Haru's blood coming from his nose.

* * *

Hatori paced back and forth in his office, afraid of his next actions.

"_If Hana ever appears again in Haru's life, inform me at once."_

Hatori crossed his arms and sat down next to the phone. He shut his eyes, trying to think if he was doing the right thing. 'The curse is broken; he has no control over me. So why am I thinking about this?' He stood up and walked away from the phone, only to find himself dialing the number on his cell phone. So there was no escape, even if the curse was broken. He still felt some sort of bond, even if it wasn't that strong.

The call connected and he heard an old woman's voice, the same one that had called him many years ago. "Risa-sama, may I speak with Akito-sama?"

"Hatori? This better be good. Akito-sama is busy talking to Kureno."

"Yes, this is important."

"Hello?"

"A-akito-sama."

"Yes, what is it Hatori?"

"She," he cleared his throat. "Hana, she's back."

"What do you mean back?" Akito's voice began to rise, just as it had when the Sohmas were cursed.

"Hana transferred to Haru's school."

"Where is Haru now?"

"Shigure knows. What exactly are you planning to do?" Hatori felt a chill when he heard Akito chuckle.

"You don't need to know." The phone clicked, and the connection was lost.

'Hanajima Saki, you really are a troublesome wench.'


	4. Chapter 4

It seems as though I should be sleeping but I'd rather write for my dear reviewers. It is a little disappointing that I haven't been getting more but it doesn't matter. I'm just being vain because of the success B and W had -- ;;;; sorry.

Chapter 4

Akito Sohma arrogantly brushed the 'dust' off his clothing, acting as if the taxi was contaminated. The taxi driver snorted and pocketed the money, driving away at the same time. Customers, you just couldn't please them.

"Akito-sama, do you really feel like this action is needed?" Kureno lightly tapped his arm, concern tapping away at his features.

"Kureno, don't question me. Now, which house is the one we're staying at?" Akito looked to his right and left, dismayed that the houses in front of him were lacking the glamour of the main house.

"It is this one." The older man unlocked the door to the house and turned on the lights. He gasped at the expensive furniture that adorned the place. It was even more richly decorated than the main house was, glass chandeliers, new couches and beds, and expensive artworks that were displayed only in elite museums. "Akito-sama, didn't you say you were only going to stay here for a week?"

Akito chuckled and rubbed his temples. He entered the house and sat down on the plush couch. "So I lied?" He rested his slender feet on the table, knowing fully well that it was bad manners, but not giving a crap. The former god of the Sohmas motioned for Kureno to join him.

Quick, agile legs slid over the carpet, avoiding making excessive sounds so as not to agitate Akito. Kureno sat down, enjoying how the couch molded into him. He scrunched his nose disdainfully at how the younger of the two males was putting his feet on the table but refrained from voicing his opinion. After all, he didn't want to listen to complaints- he had lived his life surrounded by them. He sighed, wondering what the pale man beside him was thinking. 'Is he planning to harm Haru? He doesn't have the curse to back him up anymore…'

As if he had a talent for saying strange things at strange times, Akito interrupted Kureno's ongoing worries. "Kureno, I want you to research for me some romance scenarios."

"E-excuse me?"

"You heard me. Just a few. I want you to pick the ones that seem to suit me." Kureno silently lifted himself from the couch and left the scene. He had no idea what the former god wanted scenarios for but he had no choice but to follow for the time being. 'If push comes to shove, I'll help Haru and tell him about what Akito is plotting.' Although he knew that he'd never betray his beloved Akito-sama.

Kureno went upstairs into one of the bedrooms and took out his phone. He dialed a number and waited to get connected.

"Yeeeesuuuuuuuuuu?"

"S-shigure?" An eyebrow lifted at the writer's ridiculous burst of enthusiasm.

"Kureno-kun, you've called at just the right time! Hahahahah."

"You're drunk aren't you?"

"Drunk? My, my Kureno-kun, you are one heck of a naughty boy. Tsk tsk tsk. What makes you think that I'd be drinking eh?" Shigure was obviously drunk for the words that came from his mouth were slurred and hardly understandable.

Kureno could just imagine the drunken Shigure; a flush covering his face, hair all ruffled, his robe slipping off his shoulders, barely able to hold up the phone, as he was talking to him. He ran a hand through his well kept hair, trying not to vent his frustration. "Shigure, if you would listen to me just once. Do you know any good love stories?"

"Love stories?" Shigure dropped to the floor. "Kyahahahah! Of course I know love stories!" He brought a hand to his chest, eyes sparkling. "Why, I so happen to write them!

Kureno felt sweat dropping from the sides of his face. Why was he stupid enough to call this drunken idiot? He let the phone slip from his hands and _poof_ into the bed he was standing next to. Obnoxious laughing could be heard from the electric device but Kureno ignored it, instead finding peace by looking out the window, looking at the monochromatic scheme of the sky.

--

Akito opened one eye and glanced around the room, wondering why Kureno hadn't come down from his bedroom yet. His patience, which he didn't have much of in the first place, was already worn out. Instead of going upstairs to check up on the former rooster, he grabbed his leather jacket and walked out the door. He didn't announce he was going anywhere- he left without a second thought.

'Stupid junishi never cooperated anyway.' Akito pulled the coat closer around him to try and fight off the bitter winter wind. He managed to walk quite a ways away from where he was currently staying, making sure that his footprints were left behind so he could find his way back. Each imprint that he made was so perfect, it was as if he had done more than merely step into the white material. As he looked back to see if his trail was still there, his foot slipped on a patch of ice, making his body fall backwards at full speed into the snow. He screamed as he felt the world around him start spinning and prayed it wasn't the end. Black swirled around his vision and he clenched his teeth in pain.

"Are you okay?" A clear voice broke through the black and brought Akito back to his senses. He waited until his vision cleared to respond.

"Yes I'm alright." Ego getting in the way, he lifted himself up despite the pain, only to fall back on his rear because he was still standing on the ice patch. His shoes simply assisted him in his fall.

He squinted his eyes in pain and ruefully rubbed his rear, ignoring the giggles that were coming from the girl next to him.

"Here." He felt two arms slide under one of his own and gently but firmly pull him up and drag him away from the ice. His lips were clamped shut to refrain from thanking the girl. After all, he was not one to thank others. She didn't deserve to be thanked. He could have gotten up on his own.

Akito limped behind the girl into her house, unsure why he was following her. The girl had a familiar air about her but he couldn't place his finger on what it was exactly. When he actually looked to see who the female was, he almost dropped to the floor in shock. 'Shit, I didn't want to see her here right now! Not when I'm not prepared.'

"Here, I thought you'd want some."

A sweet aroma filled the area around Akito's nose and he crossed his eyes to see a single cup of green tea in front of him. He stared into the liquid that was swirling around in front of him.

"Here you go."

He stubbornly took the cup into his hands. 'So, she doesn't recognize me. Good.'

"You're welcome." Hana smiled and sat across from him, keeping her distance. She didn't want to risk another Yuu incident, but what if the man had broken something? She glanced at him wearily, noticing a pout forming on his lips. Oddly, she found it was cute which caused her face to flush lightly. The man seemed to ignore her though, so she felt slightly at ease.

Akito pouted, unsure of what to do in the current situation. He crossed one leg over the other and took a sip of the tea, spitting it back into the cup right away because of the lack of taste it had compared to the ones at home.

Hana stared in shock, unable to comprehend his actions. He was just like… a child! She couldn't suppress her laughter any longer, and her giggles brought his sharp gaze right to her. She stopped, feeling embarrassed at her unreasonable spouts of laughter. 'He must think I'm insane.' She straitened her posture to try and at least redeem herself. "So, um." She coughed. "Are you new around here? I haven't seen you before."

Akito put the distasteful tea onto the table in front of him and stared blankly at her. She was so plain looking- not attractive at all. His voice came out nearly monotone, voicing his boredom. "Yes."

Hana bit her lip, unable to think of ways to break the ice. "Um, if you want, I could give you a tour so you don't get lost around here."

"And why would I want a tour from you?"

Hana nearly fell off the chair because of how difficult he was being. "Well, it was kind of my fault that you fell. See, I was going to clean that ice patch but I got lazy. So it's really my way of apologizing..." She rubbed the back of her head, feeling stupid.

"I can find my way around myself. And there's always a map. That ice was nothing. I didn't need your help. I could have gotten up by myself." He stood up to leave, obviously insulted by Hana's comment.

"W-wait!" Hana rushed to the door, surprised at the speed the man had, seeing as how he was obviously limping. She chuckled to herself. His stubbornness was adorable. Her face turned several shades of red when she remembered the pout that had formed on his lips when he looked into the green tea. Then she stuck her tongue out. He had wasted perfectly good green tea! Next time, she swore, she would find him, give him a tour and a cup of coffee.


	5. Chapter 5

_She could feel the crunching of the snow under her shoes. The way the water seeped in, wetting her socks and feet, chilled her to the bone- yet she continued to walk in the snow not on the shoveled sidewalk. Why? A simple reason. She wanted to know she still existed. The feeling of cold reminded her she was still a real being._

_Everything around her screamed of despair. Different shades of the colors white and black covered the area. _

_She looked at her hands and the ground and back to her hands again. They seemed to become more colorful each time she took a step. Where was she? Even more, who was she?_

_She continued walking, finding each step brought a burst of new colors to the scenery. A smile was brought to her lips and she nearly waltzed down the nonexistent road she was walking. The cold still bit her toes and yet something else caught her attention. Several pictures were strewn about, forming the letters H, A, R, and U._

_Haru? What was that? She tried to think but her attention was drawn away by the photos. She looked at them, finding solace just by touching it. Lightly holding it, she brought it to her face only to drop it in exasperation. She grasped another one, only to drop it again with a little yelp._

_Each time she had tried to look at the pictures, knowing that she was in them, they melted. All of the pigments in the picture would swirl towards the middle and then the whole thing would just ooze into her hands, sometimes burning. She continued to pick each one up, each time picking up speed. A burning desire filled her insides; she craved to see what was inside._

_A quick glimpse of white hair was the best she got. With the remaining photos, she couldn't even touch them. They would evaporate before she could even touch them. And then, she fell backwards, as if she was falling- falling into a never ending eternity of blackness._

* * *

Sweat covered her arms, back, and face when she woke up, shivering. What was that dream? She tried to recall it, only to receive a headache from the strain. She shook off the unnerving feeling, wanting to forget it. Hand on forehead, she walked into the bathroom.

After washing her face, feeling refreshed, she put on a couple of layers of clothing. She made sure to lock the door before starting on an early stroll. It was still early- 6 am to be exact- but she wanted some fresh air to clear her head.

The winter wind was gentle on her and only blew very gently. The sun still hadn't risen but the street was bright enough because of the moon light. She blew into the air, watching puffs of vapor form. Shuffling through the streets at 6 am wasn't exactly something smart to do though- she felt someone following her. Using her peripheral vision, she glanced back slightly and noticed they were walking much faster. Or was she slowing down? Instead of running, she turned to confront her stalker, only to have the person slam into her and fall back. She cringed at the incoherent speech that flowed from the other's mouth.

"Are you" He hiccupped. "Ma luvrr?" The man narrowed his eyes and quickly sat up. He leaned over, this time invading Hana's personal space. The man continued to invade her space, so he was leaning over Hana and her back was flat on the ground. He brought his face close to hers, squinting at her questionably. "You dun look like it." He giggled.

Hana tried to push him off, the smell of alcohol, memories of Yuu, and everything else flowing into her brain at once. She shut her eyes, afraid of what would happen next. Then the smell of alcohol was gone.

"I'm so sorry miss. Shigure gets out of control sometimes." She looked at the speaker who looked to be about her age. He had orange hair and dozens of veins popping out of his head. "Shigure, you stupid asshole! You came here for a conference with your editor. And if it wasn't for me, you would have been mugged by those gangsters back there. And now you go and assault a girl?" Kyo landed a kick to Shigure's side.

"Its aint ma falutzz." Shigure squinted and he pointed at Hana. "She made Shigure fall."

Kyo followed the direction of the point and froze. "Y-you're H-Hana!"

Was it the cold or did her whole body just go numb? Hana's eyes widened in confusion, "Y-yes, I'm Hana, but how did you know my name?"

"Tsk. Tsk. Kyo-kuuuuunnnie, she doesn't rememba." Shigure draped his arm dramatically around Kyo's legs causing Kyo to almost lose balance. "You and I both knowz Haa-kun wiped her memoliez clean 'cuz ov Harrru." Shigure extended his arm towards the sky, eyes sparkling half with excitement and half with drunkenness.

"What?" Hana grasped the stranger's arm. "Memory wipe?" Would this explain the dream? "What did you say?"

"N-nothing! I'm sorry but we have to go." Kyo grabbed Shigure's body and hoisted it up as swiftly as he could. He literally dragged the drunken man away, running as fast as possible away from Hana.

Hana looked dazed from her spot in the snow. The encounter had happened so quickly it was like a dream, or was it a hallucination? But the two had mentioned Haru! She shuffled through her pockets, looking for her cell phone. This was to important- maybe this could explain the empty feelings she held around Haru. There was no time to lose. She dialed the number and prayed that he would pick up.

* * *

The sudden blaring of Passion rang throughout the room. Why had he chosen this song in the first place? A flashback of Rin forcing him to buy the tone came into his head. It wasn't until the phone stopped ringing that he looked at who the caller was. "Hana? Why would she call at this time? What if she's in trouble… or …. Worse!" His fingers rapidly pressed the redial button, wasting no time. If Hana hadn't picked up, the button probably would have been smashed to bits at the strength Haru was pushing it down with.

"Haru, thank god you're awake."

"You okay!?!?!?! What's wrong?" Haru yelled into the phone, feeling worry consume his mind.

"Yes… But are you okay? You sound flustered."

"Oh, um yeah I'm okay."

"Good. Sorry for waking you up so early on a Sunday but do you know someone named Shigure?"

Haru dropped the phone. Hellos could be heard from the electronic device but he just stared in a daze. 'Shigure… Shigure, she knows about Shigure?'

"Sorry. No, I don't know anyone named Shigure. I have to go. Bye." He hung up and dialed Hatori's number— he needed answers.

And for the fifth time that morning, Hatori was waken up by his annoying cell phone. He almost slammed it at the wall, afraid that it would be Shigure calling to ask if he was his lover. "Hello!?"

"Hatori? Are you okay?"

"Haru? Oh, sorry…" Hatori rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I thought you were someone else."

"Your memory wipes-"

"I thought I said no to that already."

"No, just hear me out. Hana called me a couple of minutes ago, asking about Shigure. Doesn't this mean she remembers?? And why not me instead of him?" Haru's knuckles turned white from his tight grip on the phone.

"She remembers him. But that shouldn't happen!"

"But she does! So what am I supposed to do? You do something.. Fix it! Make her remember! I don't care if she'll mentally break down. I mean come on, she remembers Shigure, so what difference would it make if she remembers me?"

"Haru, do you want to cause her pain?" There was a pause on the other side of the line. "Think about it." He hung up the phone. Haru, in his frustrated state threw his phone across the room against the wall. It smashed into pieces, leaving no trace of what it once was.

* * *

Kyo opened the door to their hotel room and threw Shigure onto the bed. The former dog flopped onto the cushions, head banding onto the headboard. This did little to wake him and Kyo suppressed a sadistic laugh.

He sat down next to the wasted male. With his chin in his palm, elbow on knee, he began to think about the corrupt actions Shigure had done during their day. 'I can't believe we found Hana here. I wonder how much Haru would pay me to tell him.' He rubbed his hands together greedily. He then returned to his thinking pose. 'Should I tell Haru? Guarding Shigure isn't supplying me much anyway. Plus, Shigure had to have that slip-up telling Hana about the memory wipe.'

Kyo grabbed the writer's bag and began a thorough search for the phone. He found Haru's number and contemplated about dialing it one last time. Unfortunately, Shigure's arm found its way around Kyo's waist and slung him into the pillows. He nestled his head on Kyo's shoulder and grinning he whispered, "I wub youuuuuu kyo-kun. You look exactly like my luver..!"

The phone slipped out of Kyo's hand and he lifted that arm and placed it over his forehead. "You know what I think of you? I think you're a faggot with to much time on your hands. You good for nothing ingrate."

"You meanie." He fell fast asleep but kept his tight grip around Kyo's waist, disabling him from moving away anytime soon.

"I guess the brat will have to deal with not knowing about Hana."


End file.
